Dear Brother Knights,

Happy New Year and greetings of Christ’s peace and Love! I pray that these words find a place in your heart to dispel the frustrations, suffering, grief, and loneliness due to COVID-19 pandemic and now Omicron.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

On New Year’s Day, January 1, the Church honors Mary, the Mother of God. With her unconditional faith, our blessed Mother saw the love of God in the sorrowful, the ordinary, and the joyful. She who placed her trust in God saw his glory in everything. At the end of 2021, a challenging year for our families, our church, our Knighthood, and our nations, the model of Mary offers a wonderful guide for our year ahead.

Immerse yourself in God’s love and respond to his presence and grace by bringing that love to others. The new year brings a sense of renewal, a chance to reflect on who we are as Knights of St. John, a people of faith, and how we might become better knights of the Church and followers of Christ.

O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whome we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

The lesson of the past year 2021, highlighted our global interconnectedness and solidarity, our belief in the sanctity of life, and our respect for the dignity of every human person. We learned that sharing our love for one another, friend, or stranger, can be as simple as wearing a mask.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Pope Francis in his message of 55th World Day of Peace, stresses the need for mutual understanding between generations and meaningful, transformative exchanges. He writes, “Dialogue entails listening to one another, sharing different views, coming to an agreement, and walking together…” Let us walk together as brother Knights and be missionary disciples of Christ.

May Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Peace, Pray for us.